Stricter energy code heats up debate on cost

Proponents of the new code say that insulation and window upgrades are a tougher sell than high-quality fixtures. (Handout)

Energy-efficient homebuilding is about to take a big step forward in Illinois, but consumers will pay now to save on future utility bills.

A new statewide building energy code that takes effect Jan. 1 strives to make homes more comfortable and residential energy bills less costly by making the building's "envelope" tighter. The adoption of a substantial amount of the International Energy Conservation Code for homes puts Illinois at the forefront of such efforts among states.

But the updates to the building energy code, required by state law every three years, have not been without controversy. While proponents say the changes will increase the cost of a new home from $958 to $1,775 in Illinois, or about $1,500 in the Chicago area, detractors of the new rules peg that Chicago-area cost increase at $4,600, a sum they say will price some first-time buyers out of the market.

Either way, it is a cost that will be borne by consumers over the life of their mortgages.

The new code will apply to all newly built single-family homes, including two-, three- and four-flat buildings that are no taller than three stories. It also will apply to major room renovations and structural changes to existing homes. In other words, if a homeowner redoes a kitchen by changing the countertops and cabinets, the code requirements won't apply. If a homeowner replaces a window or takes a room down to the studs before remodeling it, the builder will have to follow the new rules.

The changes won't be obvious, and even the code's proponents agree the upgrades in energy efficiency won't be as easy to market to consumers as, say, granite countertops and crown molding.

They include upgraded insulation in attics and basements, more energy-efficient windows, upgraded bathroom vent fans, the use of some high-efficiency lights, insulated hot water lines to kitchens and air sealing around furnaces.

New homes also will have to undergo a blower door test, a procedure in which a powerful fan is attached to an exterior door. As the fan pulls air out of the home, a tester can see how much outside air is leaking into the home.

"There are just dozens of little things that get better, and the homeowner winds up better off," said William Fay, executive director of the Energy Efficient Codes Coalition in Washington. "It's very significant for an Illinois homebuyer. Codes are very technical, they're very boring. But homes and commercial buildings use up 70 percent of electricity. They're the leading consumer of energy. That's why this is important."

Supporters of the changes say consumers living in a Chicago-area home of 2,400 square feet with a basement should save an estimated $350 a year on their energy costs, compared with the current building regulations.

"This is the minimum," noted Isaac Elnecave, a senior policy manager at the Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance. "If a builder really wants to go above this, they can. The leaders in Illinois (already) are building better than this."

The National Association of Home Builders argued that the changes were costly and did not provide significant energy cost savings to homeowners.

It also disagrees with proponents that the more stringent codes will lead to innovation and competition among product manufacturers that will eventually lower prices. Instead, it sees the new code as too product-specific, in effect taking away builders' choices in how they work toward a certain degree of energy efficiency.

"It's a two-edged sword," said Don Surrena, energy efficiency program manager at the builders' association. "It has a positive impact for certain buyers and a negative impact for certain buyers. The positive impact is it does drive up the requirement for energy efficiency, but at what price did we get this energy efficiency?"

Already, the state and others have begun training municipal inspectors and industry professionals on the new rules.

With the yearslong slump in home construction, builders that are coming out of hibernation are finding they have to follow a much different set of rules. The last change to the energy conservation code was in 2009.